Are you a dream, or reality?
by xStarOceanNelx
Summary: A curse is upon Nel and she struggles to tell the difference between dreams and reality. Love has never been on her side so is it strong enough to kill her?.After game.Alnel.Slight Fayt/Maria. Working on it & debating with ideas
1. What do you think of me?

The fight for the universe was over.

Fayt leaned back on the three seater. His hands were rested behind his head and his legs were crossed loosely. He let out a deep sigh and stared at the platinum ceiling in boredom. He was glad the war was over yet he slightly missed the thrill and excitement of the new encounters he had to face everyday in the past month. The steel corridor door opened swiftly to reveal a tall, young, blue haired woman. Fayt glanced over at her and a faint smile appeared on his fair face as she walked with elegance. He watched as she sat herself opposite him on the double seater, crossing her legs and flicking her long blue hair behind her shoulders.

"The diplo should arrive at the set destination in approximately 11 hours…" Maria announced, looking at Fayt. She noticed his gaze was set upon her small pink lips and she blushed when his mouth opened slightly. "Fayt… is something wrong?" She stuttered. The boy jumped as he was suddenly re-united with the real world. Maria found it quite amusing that she had to put her hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. A blush crept across Fayt's cheeks and he scratched the back of his head in this embarrassing situation.

_Did__ she notice I was looking at her like that? … Okay silly question Fayt, I mean who wouldn't notice if someone was practically gaping at you!_

"No nothings wrong, I'm just getting tired of relaxing, its all such a sudden change and there is nothing to do but sit and wait now until we can get this small mission over and done with" Fayt replied with yet another sigh as he sat up and rested his elbows on his knees while burying his face in his hands.

"I understand… I know it's not much but how's about we go train in the battle simulator, me against you … unless you're too afraid that is" Maria poked her tongue out at him and ran off.

"You're on!" Fayt got up swiftly and chased after her up the many corridors until they reached the battle simulating room.

On the way, they bumped into a not so amused Albel who was leaning against the wall aimlessly. The commotion made Nel dive out of her room instantly as if she had hoped a fight was taking place or something up to her standards of entertainment.

"Don't have your hopes so high Zelpher, it's only those two blue haired maggots playing around" Albel stated as he refused to take one glance at the red head standing next to him.

"Where are they heading to? There really isn't anything worthwhile on this ship to get so excited over" Nel remarked as she sighed and crossed her arms while she leant against the door frame. She noticed the man next to her had a slight grin on his face which made her feel uneasy. It was the sort of unknowing grin that should make someone back up in fear from.

"Well they were running in their nighties and the most interesting place on the ship is the bedroom so put two and two together and thus you have an answer" He let out a small chuckle as he took one look at Nel's expression. Her mouth was hanging wide open, eyes wide in shock and her arms hung loosely by her sides.

Of course this was not the least bit true, but Nel hadn't seen what the two were wearing and she noticed Maria had changed her attitude slightly so that she was not all about work 24/7 anymore.

Plus Albel wasn't known to be the joking type compared to his old self and he seemed pretty convincing.

At this very moment, Cliff had walked by and was aware of what had happened. Being his usual self, he decided to try and stir things up a bit in a way which was good, according to him.

He rested his arm on the frame of Nel's bedroom and sported that menacing trademark look of his. "If that's the best thing on the ship then why don't you go ahead and take Nel along with ya". He petted Nel's head and suddenly pushed her towards Albel.

"But I'll warn ya, this one looks a little feisty if you know what I'm saying. She likes to think she's innocent but I think otherwise. Anyway I should best leave you two up to it" Cliff winked and put his hand up as a gesture of goodbye as he ran off quickly for he still wanted to keep his head attached to his body.

Nel couldn't keep her thoughts together. She wanted to kill Cliff but she couldn't move at all. She was very close to Albel, too close for comfort, yet neither of them moved. She lifted her head up and was surprised to see the man rather flushed and speechless. This made her turn even redder and she felt her face heating up even more. Needless to say that even though she couldn't see herself, she knew she'd be as red as her hair. In a split second she found herself able to move and hurried back into her room and shut the door rather shakily behind her. She let out a deep breath and rested her back against the door, struggling to stand up with her legs feeling as if they would give way at any moment. "_I wonder what he thinks of me…"_

Albel soon enough came to his senses and fled to his room which was a few doors down in case anyone else was to witness Albel the wicked bright red for the first time. He sat down on a nearby chair and ran his fingers through his shaggy mane a couple of times, letting the air touch his sweaty forehead. "_I wonder what she thinks of me…"_

Next Chapter:

Cliff is up to no good again and decides to play around with tears of Aphrodite which backfires. When landing on planet styx, they complete an assignment giving by headquarters but an advanced proclaimer curses Nel, meaning she lives her greatest fear while she sleeps.


	2. I'm not there

The morning after the "incident", it was time for the crew to have their quick breakfast and then head out to styx.

Mirage had set an alarm that went off throughout the whole ship until everyone got out of bed. Nel shot out of bed and gathered her weapons in fear that there was an attack. The elicoorian was still to get used to the advanced technology out there. Fayt, Maria and Cliff were already sitting at the table, errupting into laughter at the sight of Nel scurrying around in panic. She could only stand and glare at the others questioning such outburst.

At this moment, Albel had come out of his room to see what all the commotion was about. He pretty much looked like the living dead with a white as paper skin tone and heavy eyelids. But upon seeing Nel, a rush of adrenaline pumped through his body which suddenly awoke him. However his pride was seemingly worth much more to him, meaning he would not let this change his ways.

"Fool" he muttered as he barged past her, which earned him one of the most intense glares from Nel.

Nel decided to sit down at the table next to Maria who was next to Fayt, who was next to Albel.

Cliff suddenly leapt out of his chair stating that he has to "help" Mirage with handing out the food.

Mirage came through with all the plates and gave each of them an individual breakfast. Cliff took this time to mix a bottle of "tears of aphrodite"into Albels drink. He would then fall in love with the first person he looks at. Cliff chuckled at his own plan as he had one of those hunches that it would all work out and hopefully Albel would confess his undying love to Nel.

With a grin plastered on his face, Cliff served out the cups of drinks to each person and made sure that Albel got the right one.

Everyone tucked into their breakfast whilst Cliff kept glancing up at Albel to catch the perfect moment for his plan. As soon as Albel took one gulp of the drink, Cliff picked up some mashed potato off his plate and into his hand. As he was about to lob it at Nels head, in order to make her shout which would thus cause Albel to look at her, but Mirage noticed Cliffs intentions and called his name out rather loudly. Albel turned to Mirage to see what the outburst was about.

In a desperate attempt, Cliff still threw the mashed potato at Nel's head which made her scream and boil up in anger. Albel looked at her briefly but his gaze went back upon Mirage.

"Oh shit" was all Cliff could say as he leapt out of his chair and ran down the hallways with a fuming red head screaming obscenities at him.

She wanted an answer from him _now. _She had him pushed up against the wall outside the main control room, with one hand cuffed around the collar on his shirt which strained his neck and the other holding a dagger to his chest.

"Are you going to answer me?" Nel hissed, clenching her teeth.

"Well uh...you see..." He stuttered, looking at the ceiling to avoid Nel's harsh glare. Harsh was just an understatement to be honest. The glare could have just about been one of the worst he had ever seen from Nel and he was the one likely to be brutally tortured from it!

"Why did you throw mashed potato at my head Cliff!?" She shouted as she got closer to his face. Still he did not want to look at her. He especially did not want to be there when he saw Mirage walking towards them with Albel tailing behind her, obviously head over heels in love.

For some reason, Cliff did feel a little upset by this. After all the time he and Mirage had spent together he had never been able to pluck up the courage and talk to her about his feelings. They were just friends yet he felt really overprotective over her. Even though he knew Albel was only like this because of a potion, he still could not help but feel a little jealous already, especially if Mirage decided to play along. What if Albel ends up kissing _his _Mirage?

The thought hit Cliff like a boulder, and Nel could see it in his eyes. She slowly backed away from him and turned round to see what was going on.

Mirage hurried up to Cliff with a scowl on her face. "Meeting.. alone.. NOW" she growled and practically shoved him through the doors and into the main control room for a stern talking to. Albel stood outside the now locked doors like a lost puppy. Until Mirage walked out and told him to go away.

"My dear, when will I see you again" The man called out dramatically. It was so un-Albel like it was sickening. Nel should have clocked on by now... yet she didn't.

"Later, now go away" Mirage sighed

Fixed to the spot, Albel would not move a muscle

"Do it for me dear" Mirage acted. She wanted him gone now and well, if you cant beat them, join them.

"I'll do anything for you" He leaned in to give her a kiss but fortunately Mirage retreated back into the room and locked the door at the speed of light.

Nel had stood there and witnessed the whole commotion. The man she was attracted to was suddenly saying things she would have never dreamed of, and of all people, to her! Mirage of all people! And he tried to kiss her. _This is just the begining _Nel thought.

She stood there and watched the man walk away without acknowledging her once

--

The group equipped themselves well and set out along Planet Styx's.

"It seems they really were not joking. this place has really got out of control" Maria gasped as her eyes travelled across the land. The proclaimers had come back and there was about 100 of them.

"100 vs 6" Nel frowned as she unsheathed her daggers to slay the first one that had target them.

"Ganging up on us eh. we'll teach them a lesson or two" Cliff cracked his knuckles and jumped right into battle, which proved him careless some times.

Proclaimer after proclaimer, they would not stop attacking which gave no party member the chance to rest. Heck they had just enough time to heal in between battles.

Nel was surrounded by three of them as they all raised their hands in the air, eyes closed and muttering a spell. She had no room to perform some of her most powerful attacks and she could not escape. Albel even turned a blind eye and rushed to help Mirage instead who had been struck quite forcefully.

A black pool of slime emerged from underneath Nels feet and a dark light from their hands shone on her body. A blinding light it was; forcing her eyes to clamp shut and within seconds give her an enormous headache. In between the chanting, she heard a faint voice shout out _"sphere of might" _and then she collapsed.

--

_Nel woke up. She found herself back on elicoor and in her home town Arias. However she did not recognise this room. Why was she not taken to the mansion?_

_She ventured around and found herself in an inn. Not wanting to stay in that grubby room anymore, she headed out for the mansion only to find the guards refusing to let her in. "Claire told you to stay away already. Now go before we are forced to react psychically upon you"_

_She turned around and headed to the gate to go to Kirsla. She took one last look at Arias for she knew she would not be there again for a long time._

_At Kirsla she bumped into Albel near the gates of Woltars mansion. _

_"Albel..?" She questioned as he had his back turned to her._

_He turned his head slightly to confirm who's voice he thought it was._

_"I think you need to go" He stated._

_"What have I done wrong?" She stuttered_

_"Oh yes you never do anything wrong do you maggot" He snarled. "Don't ever show your face to any of us again..ever" he finished, turning back round so he could not see her at all. Nel started moving, well practically stumbling due to the shock of what he had just said. She looked back at Albel, just to see his face once more, that man that was kissing another woman so tenderly in front of her._

_The tears flowed from her face and hit the ground forcefully._

_--_

**So I have not updated for ages. I was busy with school and other stuff for ages.**

**Finally got to this chapter but I have really lost inspiration on this story.**

**But I still have another month free so I'll think of working on this one more and perhaps a new story…**


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